The Education of Little Tree [SPECIAL EDITION] (Paperback)

by Forrest Carter (Author), Rennard Strickland (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"There's humor, tragedy, tenderness and most of all, love . . . . A lot of people received a lot of education from their grandparents that schools don't offer. But few have expressed it as well as Little Tree has. Very good reading."

Product Description
The Education of Little Tree tells of a boy orphaned very young, who is adopted by his Cherokee grandmother and half-Cherokee grandfather in the Appalachian mountains of Tennessee during the Great Depression.

“Little Tree” as his grandparents call him is shown how to hunt and survive in the mountains, to respect nature in the Cherokee Way, taking only what is needed, leaving the rest for nature to run its course.

Little Tree also learns the often callous ways of white businessmen and tax collectors, and how Granpa, in hilarious vignettes, scares them away from his illegal attempts to enter the cash economy. Granma teaches Little Tree the joys of reading and education. But when Little Tree is taken away by whites for schooling, we learn of the cruelty meted out to Indian children in an attempt to assimilate them and of Little Tree’s perception of the Anglo world and how it differs from the Cherokee Way.

A classic of its era, and an enduring book for all ages, The Education of Little Tree has now been redesigned for this twenty-fifth anniversary edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Young Adult
  
• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: University of New Mexico Press; 25th anniversary edition (August 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826328091
• ISBN-13: 978-0826328090
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (214 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,731 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What I Learned From Little Tree, January 7, 2002

By	Matt Tietjen (Killingworth, CT USA) - See all my reviews

Unlike the reader from LA, I fail to see why the University of Mexico Press should feel obligated to "alert" the reader of Forrest Carter's ugly past. I think that removing the "True Story" subtitle was all that had to be done. After finding out about Carter's hideous background, I read the book backwards and was relieved to find no hidden racist manifestos or prayers to Satan. When reading the book frontwards what I discovered was a potentially life-changing, hilarious, sad and ultimately uplifting tale that left me convinced of the universal beauty of the human spirit. As far as racial and cultural issues go, this book - if anything - made me even more understanding of different cultures and more sensitive to the background of Native Americans. In fact, I was so inspired after I turned over the last page, that I hastily filled up all of the blank pages at the end with my own reflections. I remember exclaiming to a friend who walked by that I had just finished one of the best books I had ever read. Of course I felt somewhat betrayed when I first learned the truth behind the book's author (this morning). I was also very disappointed - and still am - that such a wonderfully inspiring plot and cast of characters never actually graced the often-uninspiring "real world" in which we live. But then I looked back at the notes I had written upon completing the book. My first thought had been "As a society we need to understand and tolerate our differences." The irony here - that a former KKK leader had inspired these notes - did not escape me. Rather, I discovered that I was still learning from "Little Tree." If even the most ugly and evil people can harbor inside them a potential to inspire strangers to understand and even "kin" each other despite our differences, then isn't there hope for the human race? Society today is sick with racism and disrespect for each other and for nature. We need to change that, and reading "Little Tree" is as good a first step as any. Many famous writers - while troubled or despicable as individuals - have still managed to pass down priceless bits of beauty or wisdom that have touched and will continue to touch the lives of millions of readers in generations to come. The University of Mexico Press could always change the publisher's note on the back cover to: "Former KKK leader lies about his past." Heck, they could even insert an author's picture of old Forest in a white hood burning a cross. They could. But all that would happen is less people would read "Little Tree" and, unfortunately, miss out on a great lesson in tolerance, love and understanding. "The Education of Little Tree" is masterpiece; you will laugh a lot, cry some, and leave it feeling like you have gained more wisdom than many people will gain in a lifetime.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Controversial, magical, worth reading and fighting over., November 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Education of Little Tree (Audio Cassette)

For years, I've used Little Tree in my developmental reading classes with mostly black and hispanic men and women. Before I had heard of the controversy, I was impressed by the beauty of the book. I loved the way my slow, insecure readers could feel smarter than the narrator, as they realized they knew more than the small boy did. It was the most universally appreciated book I'd ever come across; people from all over the world, ages from 17 to 70 respond deeply to it. So what happened when I found out that Carter's a fake? I took a few years off, and then returned to it. What fascinating discussions we have about human nature, about deception, about what literature is and is not, when my students, totally entranced by the book, find out that it was written by a member of the KKK. Wow! Opportunities for this kind of deeply challenging discussion are too rare to pass up. Finally,is it possible Carter was a closet liberal who made money by writing stupid, silly speeches for stupid politicians, while his heart was in his novels? I don't know, but I love the karmic irony that his book makes my students of all backgrounds re-consider their prejudices, their materialism, their government's abuse of power, their treatment of animals and the environment. Sure, I'm troubled and confused by it all, but ultimately, I smile.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming..., May 20, 2006

By	Kristy A. Krause (Stockton, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Education of Little Tree (Zia Book) (Library Binding)

My grandmother gave me this book years ago as a birthday present, and my copy shows definite signs have having been read and reread many times over. I never grow tired of reading it, and it makes me feel good every time I open it up.

I'll accept what other reviewers of Cherokee descent have stated here that this is not an accurate depiction of their way of life. Here's the kicker though...I did not read this book to learn about the Cherokee, so the fact that it is not a true portrayal is not a concern to me. The family could just as easily have been German, Chinese, Russian, or Arab, it wouldn't have made any difference.

I'll also accept that Forrest (Asa) Carter was a racist, segregationist, KKK member. Mr. Carter is gone, and I don't know, nor will anyone else ever know, what his true motivation behind writing this story was.

What is more important is the overall message that this book portrays, and it is NOT one of racism. It is an endearing account of a little boy's relationship with his grandparents and their lives together in the mountains during the Depression. The wonderful thing is that it is told from the viewpoint of a 5 year old. He is too young to understand much about the adult world around him, and it is interesting to see his interpretations of the various things he experiences. He has a child's innocence, and is still able to view even the simplest things with wonder and can derive enjoyment from them. Five year olds today need an explosive video game to be so entertained.

The characters are well developed, a bit oversimplified, but intensly human. The writing is incredibly descriptive, and provides the reader with a vivid mental picture of what is happening. It teaches the pleasure of slowing down and paying attention to the little things that are happening in the world, like watching a spider trying to build its web across a creek. It demonstrates the comfort and closeness derived when being separated from loved ones by looking at the same star or lighting a candle at the same time.

As for stereotypes, I didn't find it here. Some people have stated that the fact that Little Tree and his grandparents are uneducated reflects a negative Native American stereotype. I don't believe this to be the case in this book. They are uneducated, yes; but in that place and time in history, so were many people, of many races.

Overall, this is a rich story about the strength of love and family, hardships and overcoming them, and slowing down and finding wonder wherever you can. About looking at the world through the innocent eyes of a child.

If you are looking for a fast paced action thriller, do not read this book. If you are looking to read a book that is a true and accurate portrayal of Native American life, this is not the book for you. But if you are looking for a nice, feel-good story, then don't pass this book up!

For those who are bent on picking apart and finding fault in this book, well I suppose one could find fault in anything if you look hard enough for it. There are some people who just spend their lives looking for the worst in everything, and as a result, miss out on life's simple pleasures, one of which is this book.